While Miami Heat President Pat Riley hasn’t commented on the Jimmy Butler situation that has engulfed the team in recent days, an interview he conducted weeks ago that was released Thursday shed light on how he deals with “this generation of players.”
The team suspended the six-time NBA All-Star last week for seven games “for multiple instances of conduct detrimental to the team.”
Trade rumors surrounding Butler had circulated for weeks, and the veteran recently made it clear he wants out of Miami so he can recapture his “joy.” But the Miami Herald reported Thursday the Heat had not received “an appealing offer” and Butler is expected to rejoin the team on Jan. 17.
But again, Riley hasn’t addressed the issue. However, on Thursday, The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz posted an interview Le Batard conducted weeks ago with Riley as part of its South Beach Sessions. While the Butler situation obviously hadn’t unraveled yet, the 79-year-old Riley shared some of his thoughts on dealing with today’s players.
Riley never mentioned Butler by name, but it’s not hard to see he might have had the veteran star in mind.
“Oh, I don’t know how you adapt to today’s player,’ Le Batard said. “I don’t have any idea how you observe sitting out back-to-backs, or showing up at media day in a wig, or just missing games.”
“I would’ve handled it differently. There’s no doubt,” Riley said. “The players who want to express themselves in a way that is absolutely anti what my beliefs are in representing an organization, whether it’s to grow a bigger brand, to make more money, to go out there and separate themselves a little bit from the pack. There’s nothing you can do about that. The league wants it. Content is king and I have found that out that trying to keep the media out, the commissioner won’t allow that. Access is what it’s all about.”
Riley pressed on, saying today’s players are different than they were, say, when he was building the Los Angeles Lakers dynasty in the 1980s. But he said the players still have responsibilities to their team.
“I understand this generation of players and how they want to go about living their life is different,” Riley said. “And the music they listen to, and how they brand themselves and what they wear … this might be a little more flamboyant than what I want, but that’s who they are, and I respect that.
“I’ve actually explained this to players, that while you’re under contract to us, you do owe us something … so don’t ever take that lightly.”
Riley’s “content is king” phrase also points out the dual role players have today. NBA stars are no longer seen as mere players. Many are advertising pitchmen, podcasters, and social media stars. They’re expected to offer great sound bites in interviews. Sometimes, all the extracurricular stuff can get in the way of basketball.
About Arthur Weinstein
Arthur spends his free time traveling around the U.S. to sporting events, state and national parks, and in search of great restaurants off the beaten path.